


A Grand Tour

by Daegaer



Category: Fix Bay'nets - George Manville Fenn, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
Genre: 19th Century, Aliens, Crossover, Gen, Humor, Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-04-07
Updated: 2005-04-07
Packaged: 2018-11-21 11:46:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11356863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daegaer/pseuds/Daegaer
Summary: Gedge wants to see the world. He should be careful what he wishes for.





	A Grand Tour

The man on the Clapham omnibus wasn't an ordinary sort at all, thought Gedge, watching the hatless, grinning fellow smiling in a most disconcerting way at a shop-girl.

"What's your name?" the man said, grinning wider as the girl pretended she hadn't heard him. "Where are you going? Would you like to go somewhere else?" The girl flushed a deep scarlet and looked round in mute appeal. As the usual custom of omnibus travel dictated, however, the other passengers were silent, and not meeting the eyes of any of their fellow travellers. "If you come with me I can show you things you'll never have dreamt of," said the man.

"Here!" said Gedge, outraged at the shame on the poor girl's face. "Maybe you'd like to 'ave my seat, Miss?"

"Thank you!" cried the girl, exchanging seats with alacrity. Gedge stood, and blocked her from the view of the red-haired man.

"Sorry, mate," he said. "The 'bus is full, I've got ter stand here."

"There's a seat here," the man said, indicating the vacant spot from where the girl had fled.

"A lady might want to sit down," said Gedge. "Though I wouldn't want no lady sittin' by you," he said quietly. "You leave that girl alone, hear?"

"I _like_ you!" cried the other man, and, leaping up he grasped Gedge's arm and pulled him to the back of the omnibus, crying "Next stop, please!" then jumping out in the middle of the street, dragging Gedge after him. "You stand up for what you think is right," said the man, as if they had been engaged in polite conversation, "and you have some sort of idea of appropriate levels of response. You could come in handy."

"What are you on about?" said Gedge, annoyed. "Look, you've gone and made me waste time."

"What's the rush?" asked the man. "Where are you going?"

"Army recruiters," said Gedge, "I've a mind to go for a so'jer. I want to see foreign parts."

" _And_ you have an enquiring mind!" exclaimed the other man, pulling something from the bag which he carried. "Perfect! Here, hold this." He extended a tool to Gedge, who took it gingerly.

"What's this?" he said.

"I'll explain later," said the man, grabbing hold of it as well, and running his fingers over it firmly. "Trust me, you'll like this better than the Army."

Gedge blinked as the tool heated in his hand, and then London wavered and vanished.

It took some time to understand his new circumstances, but the red-haired man was right in thinking that Gedge enjoyed foreign things and new experiences.


End file.
